Tag: USA USA USA

1/2 Year Music!

Every year around this time, Kent and I swap email about how crappy the music is that year. Then by the year’s end, we manage to like 20 or so albums enough to make our lists that no one reads. This year is no different. Except this year, I vow to give up on more music earlier. Here is my list of keepers and throw awayers.

Keepers (in alphabetical order)

Broken Bells – Nothing wrong with this album. But it’s not that great either. But it’s not that bad.

Charlotte Gainsbourg – I have finally embraced this album all the way. It has three or four high points. The rest is just okay.

The National – More of the same from the National. Songs about my lame life. Really good.

She & Him – Sweet music. Really good production. I’m in love with both members.

Sleigh Bells – This has most of my favorite summer songs thus far. Loud crashy cheerleader music. It’s not new, but it’s nice to get a new spin on it.

Surfer Blood – Dave, I think maybe you would like this. It reminds me of the 90’s but maybe not the 90’s that you liked the best. But still worth trying.

Titus Andronicus – I like this album, but I feel like its akin to eating way more food than one should. It just wears me out. Still waiting for it to click.

Vampire Weekend – The rest of my favorite summer songs are on this cd.

Throw Awayers

Beach House – Dear Beach House, You make really boring music. Signed, Brent.

Caribou – Dear Caribou, I don’t understand what you are trying to do. But I see that others do. So there you go.

Gil Scott Heron – Dear Gil-Scott Heron, Even if you were the coolest person ever, there would still be no reason to make this music. No reason.

Gorillaz – Dear Gorillaz, Good for you.

Janelle Monae – Dear Janelle, Kent made fun of me when I wanted to listen to you. Kent was right. Thanks for that.

Roky Erickson & Okkervil River – Dear Roky, Thanks for making an album that puts a permanent blemish on the careers of Okkervill River. I’m not sure they could have done it themselves.

Okay. All done. There are still plenty of cds that are still under consideration for the year-end awards. So don’t give up, Ruby Suns and Morning Benders.

Insert witty headline here

NASA crashed a rocket into the moon this morning:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/overview/index.html

LCROSS launched with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on June 18, 2009 at 2:32 p.m. PDT. The LCROSS shepherding spacecraft and the Atlas V’s Centaur upper stage rocket executed a fly-by of the moon on June 23, 2009 (LCROSS lunar swingby video stream coverage) and entered into an elongated Earth orbit to position LCROSS for impact on a lunar pole. On final approach, the shepherding spacecraft and Centaur will separate. The Centaur will act as a heavy impactor to create a debris plume that will rise above the lunar surface. Projected impact at the lunar South Pole is currently: Oct 9, 2009 at 4:30 a.m. PDT. Following four minutes behind, the shepherding spacecraft will fly through the debris plume, collecting and relaying data back to Earth before impacting the lunar surface and creating a second debris plume.

moonrocket

Does shooting a rocket at the moon to cause an explosion seem like something that we should be doing?

It seems like a very American thing to do.  I guess we own the moon, because we played golf on it first.  If you believe that we actually went to the moon, of course.  Brent, does your hatred of NASA include believing that they faked the moon landing?

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

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